


(Brahms/Luna) What Would Luna Do?

by MaskedNightingale



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Boy (2016 Bell)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Greta is a relative of Harry's, Healing, Luna Lovegood/Brahms Heelshire - Freeform, Mental Health Issues, Not Epilogue Compliant, POV Brahms, POV Luna Lovegood, Possessive Behavior, Rare Pairings, Self-Esteem Issues, real love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 09:43:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18808624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaskedNightingale/pseuds/MaskedNightingale
Summary: What if Greta Evans was related to Lily Evans-Potter.What if Harry kept up to date with the other side of the Evans family that weren't the Dursleys?& When he found out one of his relatives were in danger from a contact in America he nearly went to her until a friend offered to take his place in turn?





	1. Whirling Daisy

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is in Brahms POV.

The new nanny laughed at me.

 

She looked into my eyes and chuckled.

 

I’m about to signal to my parents that I do not wish her to stay when I see something outside the window that makes me stop.

 

“Who is that outside?” My father inquiries on my behalf.

 

I move from my spot behind the mirror and instead head up to the attic where I can see better.

 

She looks like a daisy twirling in the wind. Even from up above her laughter drifts on up to where I am. As if sensing I’m there she turns toward the window and does a majestic curtsy.

 

“Luna!”

 

The girl’s head tilts to the side to view her acquaintance running towards her.

 

“What do you think you are doing on our grounds, young lady?” My father looks at her sternly in the same way he does when he finds a room messy when I've gotten angry.

 

A growl from deep within me comes unbidden; her expression, her face, I can’t see her face.

 

I can’t hear her either, what is she saying!

 

She turns toward the house and I can see her at last. She is seems so little from where I see her.

 

“Who are you?” The whisper fogs the glass in front of me from the ice still in the air despite it still being early winter.

 

“May I meet the boy?” She speaks quietly but in a way that I can read the words from her lips.

 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Luna.” The new nanny tries to drag the curious girl back to their vehicle in the drive.

 

My fists tighten at my sides, who is she to tell her what to do. I rush down the stairs and search through the records until I find just the right one, Claire de la Lune.


	2. Replacement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Third person, mainly focused on Luna this chapter.

The parents did not like her, Luna suspected wrackspurts. It didn’t really matter Luna knew they would follow through with their son’s wishes.

 

She peered into Greta’s eyes and saw the exasperation, this place had been her last chance to do things her way. 

 

Thankfully that’s why Luna was here in this particular English countryside, she’d been alerted by her friend Harry regarding Greta’s plight and she offered her help.

 

A piano melody drifted through the air from the mansion in front of her, from the corner of her eye she did not fail to see the fear rush through the two older parent’s eyes.

 

“It seems he agrees.”

 

The parents stiffened up and peered at her. The father had a hard look in his eyes as if searching for some nefarious plan. While the mother looked upon her in resentment but also the smallest amount of relief.

 

“Please follow us.”

 

“Of course.” Pink lips smiled lightly and crystalline eyes peered back at Greta, “Everything will work out, I’ll make sure it does.” 

 

The brunette let out a heavy breath of air, “I don’t want charity.”

 

“Excellent! Then you will have no problem  my with accepting my offer. I already gave you my contact’s number. I assure you, he will not be able to find you.”

 

She skipped away before Greta could answer, but slowed as she came before the main entrance. 

 

“Oh the darkness you’ve had to face…” The darkness of the house stank of bad energy. She would seek to rid that as soon as she was given her position.

 

The sweet, gentle melody still flowed from the building contrasting it's insides. Her lips quirked in a bittersweet smile remembering when she was little before her mother died the melody being hummed to her.

 

As she made her way into the building she hummed along while ignoring the anxious tapping of the woman’s foot as she ascended the stairs. 

 

“It’s good for him to learn patience, after all he is a very special child isn’t he?” She posed the question as she passed by the two parents. 

The living room was tidy but felt oddly unlived in. 

 

“This is…”

 

The mother stopped as Luna spoke first, “It is a honour to finally meet you, Brahms. “ She sat across from the chair where Brahms sat leaning forward ever so slightly, “Might I be a replacement for Greta? I know lots of fun games, and have experience in teaching. I think we could become grande friends.”

 

“He hasn’t had enough time with Greta to decide.”

 

“I understand.” Luna nodded towards the parents. “I’m afraid though that Greta has been called away. She was so determined to fulfill her obligation here though. I thought perhaps I could offer myself as her replacement. I’ve found myself with quite a lot of time for I’m between jobs at the moment.” 

 

She smiled and blew a piece of her starlight colored hair from in front of her face, “Excuse me.” 

 

“How could you ask such a thing? We do not even know you.” The mother frowned and her face tightened to the point that it started to look like a prune.

 

“I have a list of past references with me.”

 

This time it was the father who spoke, “We’d read Greta’s letters to Brahms, I believe his heart might already be set on her.” 

 

“Of course I know ultimately its his decision.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small stack of pastel colored cards. “In the meantime, here are my references.” 

 

This time it was the father who frowned, “It would seem you were very much prepared. What was your employment before?”

 

“I am my own employer. I have written a series of books on natural anomalies that has given me a nice income of royalties. No one is expecting me anywhere, so no one will be worried about where I've gone.” 

The gentleman raised a brow before jumping as a book fell off a shelf. The mother watched the curious girl as she whispered to the book and put it back in place.

 

“Hmm… darling perhaps we could speak to Brahms about this development.”

The father looked down at his wife in surprise but seemed to resign himself quickly to the idea.

“Of course." He gestured behind him at a billard room. " Please make yourself at home in our game room across the way.”


	3. I Want Them Both

I had wanted Greta, but the other girl was interesting. She saw me. Greta didn’t seem to believe, but the other did. 

 

Still Greta had come all this way and she was different too.

 

“Brahms, what do you wish?”

 

I answered back in the high pitched voice Mother is less afraid of, “Both. I want to try both.”

 

“I don’t think that will work out, we have to go on our trip and we can’t leave not knowing who will take care of you.”

 

I didn’t say anymore causing my mother to sigh sadly.

 

“What should we do, Daddy?”

 

“Let’s see what we can do, the girl does seem to have plenty of ideas.”

 

They opened the door and walked across to the billiard room where now both the possible nannies sat in opposite chairs. I went through my secret passageways to peer at them from the mirror. 

 

The Luna girl smiled in the direction of the mirror and then smiled at Mother. 

 

“Brahms has made his decision. He would like you both to be his nanny, at least until he knows which one he prefers.”

 

Greta’s face wrinkled into a frown, “Uh huh, and how will that work out?”

 

“It will work I’m sure of it, Greta.” Luna smiled and tilted her head then with a look of almost childish wonder looked over at my parents, “I know just the thing to make it all work out perfectly.”

 

Greta sighed. 

 

I was getting tired of everyone sighing. 

 

“I wouldn’t wish you two to go out in the storm, that would be an awful start to your vacation.” The pale girls face had saddened as she peered at up at Mummy and Daddy. Her smile flitted across her lips though, she wasn’t faking it. It was still a real smile.

“After all, Greta, my contact will need to be appraised of your arrival and arrange an agreed-upon meeting place.”

 

Greta looked down upon her hands, “It’s the least I could do after you both paid for my airfare here.” 

 

Luna clapped her hands, “Then it’s decided we shall all stay here until the storm has passed.”

 

There was no storm outside though, when they arrived the sky was clear, that’s how I was able to see Luna sparkling in the sunlight so clearly. 

 

But this would mean Mummy and Daddy would stay, at least a little bit longer. 

 

“If you would both permit me I’d be happy to serve you both breakfast in bed, come morning. I can also make sure neither of you are disturbed so that you may begin your vacation even if you haven’t left.” She walked over to the window, “I can create a scenic place for you in any room you like, as romantic as you would like. Then Greta can take a Brahm’s for the first couple of days and I will make sure that you two are not bothered with anything.” 

 

I couldn’t believe it Mummy actually blushed and Daddy actually started stuttering. Already the Luna girl had created surprises and she hadn’t even suggested changing his schedule. Oh! His schedule. 

 

I walked around the room and went beneath where Mummy and Daddy stood whispering the reminder.

 

“Well...hmm…” My father kept clearing his throat and I couldn’t stop the high pitched giggle that emitted from my mouth. I held my breath afterwards though waiting to see what would unfold. 

 

“I’m glad you agree with me Brahms.” She spoke in the direction of where I was now and where mother stood with me in her arms. “Your parents deserve some time to themselves. Anything you need, let me know. So your parent’s can relax the next couple of days.”

 

I didn’t like the idea of her changing things but at the same time I was far too curious to put up a fuss. 

 

Father cleared his throat again, “Brahm’s has a very strict schedule and it’s important that you both heed it and the rules exactly to the letter.” I could hear the rustling as father took the papers from the foyer table and handed them to the nannies.

 

[Brahm’s schedule]

  
  


7a -8a  Wake up & Dress Brahms

8a -9a  Breakfast

9a-10a Physical Exercise

10a-11a Chores

11a-12p Play Hour

12p-1p Lunch

1p-4p School

1pm ---Reading

2pm ---Musical Appreciation

3pm ---Language

4pm ---History

5p-6p Clean Out the Traps

7p-8p Dinner

9p Prayer & Goodnight Kiss Brahms

 


	4. Mischievous

“Brahms, what are you doing all alone?”

 

He had just finished adding a collection of dead spiders to Greta’s drawers when he heard the voice of the daisy from downstairs. 

 

Greta hadn’t been obeying the rules or following the schedule.

 

His parents were happy, for the first time in a long time, the daisy had kept them occupied with what she called a “staycation”. She said she’d heard Americans took them quite often.

 

She always seemed to appear though when he was about to do punish Greta. 

 

This time he was going to go through with it. He left the spiders in the drawers and crept back into the walls to go see what the daisy was going to do with him. 

 

“Let’s see what’s on your schedule?” She smiled down at the schedule, Greta never did that. “Play time, you are rather mischievous aren’t you Brahms?” She hmmed beneath her breath a familiar tune and looked out the window, “It’s still too stormy to play outside so I suppose we will do so from your room.” She walked up the spiral staircase singing softly to herself. 

 

The tension in his shoulders melted as he heard her soft lilting voice, she sang about magical creatures and fairy tales. 

 

She smiled as she heard the creaking from the walls as she went up to his room. 

 

“I’ll be right back, Brahms, I’m going to go to my room and get a couple of toys I brought along just in case.” She sat him in the middle of the floor and made some “Vroom” noises as she ‘drove’ several toy cars in front of him. “Why don’t you pick your favorite toy while I’m gone and we can play with it first?” 

 

She left the room and Brahms didn’t move until he heard the soft click of her door down the hall. He looked around trying to find a toy that he could have fun with her, in the corner of his eye something gleamed his smile lifted his porcelain face up a couple of inches.

 

He was back into the wall just as she came through with a paint splattered apron around her waist, a canvas in her hands, a woven bag over her shoulder and several paint brushes sticking out from her bun on top of her head.

 

“Why Brahms! It’s as if you read my mind.”

 

The boy sat upon a stool in the corner in front of an easel with a canvas already upon it. 

“We won’t want you to get dirty.” Luna lifted her bag and smiled, I have just the thing. From the bag she pulled a little apron in baby blue that was just his small boy size. “I shall not have your mother upset with me because we made a mess.” She threw down a patch worked painting sheet across the floor. “Thank you Brahms for cleaning up your toys. It makes this much easier.” 

 

Brahms shifted behind the wall he blushed from the praise. His eyes widened as she proceeded to pull an easel, another 2 canvases, more paintbrushes, some paints and a water jug and cup from the purse. How was it big enough to store so much?

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------

 

It was Greta that found them covered in paint, well Luna covered in paint. Brahms was immaculately clean, however his painting was coming along quite well.

 

“So you are now painting for the doll as well, don’t you think that’s creepy?”

 

Luna stared up at the woman from the ground, before getting up to look at the painting before Brahms. It looked like a view from above. A silhouette of a figure in the center seen but not fully fleshed out yet. 

 

“Oh Brahms your painting is coming along quite well!”

 

“When do you stop?”

 

Luna looked over at Greta whose hands were on her hips and looking at her with a look Luna had remembered from school. 

 

“Whatever do you mean?”

 

“You don’t have to pretend with me. It’s just a doll.”

 

Greta jumped as what sounded like a growl came from the house.

 

“You should be careful what you say, he has feelings you know.”

 

“You are crazy.”

 

“So I’ve been told.” Luna didn’t even blink, her head only tilted to the side a small curl falling against her shoulder that had fallen from her bun. “The storm is starting to blow away, you’ll be able to leave soon. I got a call from my contact he’s expecting you no later than the end of the week.” She bent down to her woven miracle bag, her arm almost disappearing within it, “Here’s his information. He should be able to make sure you are safe.”

 

“Why do you care?”

 

“You are Harry’s family, which means you are my family too.” 

 

Two golden ivory curls now framed her paint smudged face.

 

“Thank you.” Greta gulped and started to back out of the room. “I’ll make sure I’m packed to go then.” 

  
  


It wasn’t too much later until a screech came from Greta’s room. “Why did it have to be spiders?!”

 

Luna peered out into the hall before glancing back at Brahm’s whose head was tilted toward the door as well.

 

“Oh Brahms, you mischievous little boy, what did you do?”


	5. Good-byes

“We must be going, I expect you to treat Brahms like he was your own.”

 

“Of course Mrs Heelshire.”

 

Out of the corner of Luna’s eye, she watched as Greta put her bags into the trunk of the car before striding towards them. 

 

Luna held Brahms in her arms subconsciously rubbing his back. 

 

“We really must get going, Mummy.” 

 

Mr. Heelshire had already taken his bags to their chauffeur's car.

 

“Please be careful on the road, wrackspurts are often known to cause accidents.”

 

Mr. Heelshire barely twitched an eyebrow, after a week around the girl he had gotten quite used to her odd phrases. He nodded toward her before heading down to the car.

 

Mrs. Heelshire held Luna at arms length, “I’m so happy everything worked out my dear.”

 

“Come Mummy! It’s time to go.” 

 

“Coming Daddy!” Mrs Heelshire waved at her husband before leaning in and giving Luna a hug, “Thank you. I’m sorry.” 

 

Luna tilted her head and kissed the woman on the cheek, “I’m happy with him. Please be safe.”

 

With one last look into the young woman’s eyes Brahms mother and father left their home not even looking back.

 

Greta who stood by gazed after them, “That was odd.”

 

“I’m scared, Greta.”

 

Greta looked at the girl in shock.

 

“I’m worried for them, something in their eyes…” She shivered. “I hope I’m wrong.”

 

Greta looked at the girl and up at the house surrounding the petite figure in the doorway, “Are you sure you are going to be ok here alone?”

 

“Oh Greta, I won’t be alone. I’ll have Brahms.”

 

It was Greta’s turn to have a shiver run down her spine. The sincerity in Luna’s statement seemed to echo in her head.

 

“Yes, well. Thank you for everything, Luna.” In the end, Greta knew Luna would be Luna. It was something she had come to terms with early on in their odd relationship.

 

“Good-bye Greta, stay safe.”

 

With one more nod Greta was down the stairs and driving away. 

 

“Well it’s just you and I now Brahms.”


	6. Brahm's Voice

Brahms had never had fun with his other nannies, at least not in the same way he did with Luna. 

 

She followed the rules and his schedule, but she made it exciting. 

 

Each new day she had a little surprise waiting for him; whether it was pancakes with a face made with whipped cream and fresh fruit, to a new toy or lesson that was fascinating. She kept him challenged. She would ask questions and ask for written responses, essays and diagrams for statistics. 

 

She kept him engaged and busy. 

 

Brahms couldn’t remember a time before that he wasn’t bored and instead engaged throughout the day. 

 

As the days went by he got to know her as well and as he did little things about her made him more curious. 

 

How she would suddenly appear nearby whenever one of his tantrums started up. 

 

How she always seemed to know exactly what he needed.

 

How she always spoke in the direction of where he actually sat. 

 

He was captivated but he also grew anxious with each day for he believed she knew the secret of the other Brahms.

 

One day his worries came to a head.

 

She was humming in the kitchen, dancing a little diddie as she made pumpkin pastries. 

She stopped in the middle of her song and tilted her head in his direction, like she always did when she knew he was nearby.

 

“Brahms, what are you worried about?”

 

He couldn’t help the gasp that separated from his lips. 

 

_ How did she always know?  _ He thundered through the walls knocking items off the walls causing dishes to crash around his nanny. 

 

“I’m sorry Brahms I didn’t mean to frustrate you.” She whispered into the air, her head down looking at the plates before looking up at the wall. “I know you will tell me when you are ready.”

 

“Why do you do that??” His child-like voice came from the wall. She was smiling that sad smile again and it made his stomach feel like it was in knots. 

 

He whispered hoarsely, “How do you know?”

 

Luna looked at the wall as if she could see through it to his masked face, “I can feel things others cannot and see things others cannot. I’ve been like this since I was little.” She took a dustpan and started to sweep up the pieces, “I’m sorry if I scared you…”

 

“I’m not scared.” The voice deepened ever so slightly.

 

She nodded as if expecting that answer and instead asked him, “What do you want Brahms?”

 

The question made his eyes widen, what did he want? No one had truly asked the question without already trying to control the answer, but she asked it with no strings attached. He could hear the sincerity in her softly tilting tones. 

 

She didn’t get an answer and so she sighed knowing it wasn’t yet time to help Brahms into the light.

 

\-------------------------------

 

They were doing playtime when he answered her question.

 

“I want a friend.” He sighed, “A real friend.”

 

Luna hummed in return turning back to her painting.

 

“I would like to be your friend, Brahms.”

 

She smiled this time at the doll Brahms, her little pale brows slightly furrowed once more.

 

“I’d like to be your best friend if you wish it.”

 

No childlike voice answered. No sounds came from the walls. All was silent.

 

“I understand though that you don’t trust me yet. Friendship starts with respect and trust.” 

 

Her silken blonde waves fell to the side of her shoulder as she turned once more toward the wall. 

 

“You can ask me any question, any at all and I will answer it truthfully.”

 

As she turned back to her painting she noticed a slip of paper on the floor by her chair, upon it it said:

 

_ Soon. _


	7. Secrets

Brahms woke up in a panic, “Luna!”

He had to see her. 

He had overslept and he never overslept. 

She wasn’t in the playroom and neither was he. Each room came up naught. His heart start to thunder, where was she and little Brahms. He came from the walls his fists tightening beside as he peered at the study before seeing her journal wide open on top of the school books.

**_“Today I shall take Brahms to the reaches of the property to search for new fauna. I saw some ground elder, dandelion and borage when I first arrived.”_ **

Brahms let out a shaky breath, she hadn’t left him. She should have told him though, he looked down at the journal and let out a sigh. Perhaps she did. 

Merry laughter caused him to step once more behind the panelled hidden door in the study. Luna arrived soon after with little Braham’s on her back in a handmade carrier. 

“Wasn’t that a marvelous little trip, Brahms!”

She held apron up in a bundle keeping her found treasures same from falling out. 

“You are quite fortunate to live on such a healthy land. Next time we are out we shall look for fairy rings. I’m sure we would find some hidden in a glen perhaps.” 

Brahm’s gazed at his blonde haired fairy. Her long locks curling down her back coming to view as she slid the carrier with little Brahms carefully off, her apron bunched together in one hand. 

She set Brahms down in the study’s recliner gently kissing him on the forehead, the Brahms behind the wall had a shot of fluttering mingled with a narrowing as eyes. He was jealous of himself. His self that had those blush rose lips pressed against his forehead. 

“I will be right back Brahms I must clean our findings and start hanging them dry.”

As she left the room, Brahms stepped into the room once more bending down low in front of little Brahms his fingers brushing his forehead. It was still warm from her lips. As he slipped back behind the wall. He hurried down to his bedroom and jumped on his bed, lifting his mask to press his fingers to his lips. A sigh came from him and his heartbeat quickened as he laid back and slipped into a small restful sleep.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brahms woke once more to Luna’s bell-like laughter. Curious he stepped into the passageway connected to his rooms and made his way towards her laughter. 

“Rolf! You are silly.”

For the second time that day Brahms heart pounded in his chest and his fists tightened at his sides. Who was this Rolf?

He peered through the vent across the hallway from the home’s only telephone. Luna sat in the chair beside it, her journal in her hands.

“Did you call to tell me jokes or tell me about your recent discoveries?” 

She sighed and turned a page in her journal as she nodded her head as the man on the phone laughed, Brahms teeth grinded together as he could hear the laughter as well. 

After several minutes of her listening and writing notes in her journal, the man seemed to ask her question that made her furrowed her eyebrows ever the smallest bit. 

“No I shan't be going on an exploration trip...I will of course send in my articles to the Quibbler, but I find I’m liking my current situation...Well my charge is quite unique and I can’t leave him.”

At this point Brahm’s could hear distinctly the man’s voice on the other end, “Oh, should I be jealous?”

Luna’s pale features blossomed with rosy cheeks, “Rolf, we’ve talked about this. I currently have different goals than you, you will always be a friend however…”

“I hear you loud and clear. Just keep me in mind if you are ever ready to accept a beaus request for your hand.” 

Brahms didn’t even keep his growl within, it vibrated loudly into the hallway. Luna looked up, mouthing ‘Brahms’.

“I think it’s time for me to say good-bye Rolf...yes I will take care. Good-bye.”

As soon as the phone was set down, Brahms voice echoed around her, “Who was he?”

Despite the demanding tones, Luna’s wistful smile came to her face. The one she only seemed to smile when Brahms was nearby. 

“An old friend. We used to travel together when I was a teen. His and my father are the dearest of friends. He is like a brother to me but I’m afraid he doesn’t see me the same. That is how friendships tend to go though either they are family or they are something else. We lost touch during the war…” She bit her lip as if she said something incorrectly but shook her head. “We have both changed since our youth. He contacted me after reading one of my books, to catch up I suppose.”

He relaxed his muscles a bit, “I don’t like you talking to him. You are mine.” 

“Do you mean I’m your friend, Brahms?”

He paused, he knew that’s not what he meant but something in her smile beckoned him to reply, “Yes.”

“I’m so very happy that you’ve decided that’s what I am to you.”

He shuffled behind the door.

“I’d like to ask you more questions.”

“Of course, whatever you like.”

“Do you love me?”

Her trademark smile tipped across those lips that had kissed his other’s forehead, “I believe I am starting to love you quite a bit.”

“Will you ever leave me?”

She looked down in her lap and closed her book, “That would depend on several things Brahms. I believe we are still getting to know each other. I care for you greatly already, but we both hold secrets the other doesn’t know yet. Until those little things are spoken, then I won’t be able to decide such things yet.”

“What secrets have you kept from me Luna?”

“Ones I can’t reveal until I solve the mystery of you Brahms.”

“You’ll truly be mine if you solve it.” His voice deepened, while Luna just kept smiling.

“Perhaps, but then I don’t think either of us will wish to part from each other.”


	8. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna has a bad dream from war-times.

Luna had not slept well last night. Braham’s watched as she went about her daily restitutions with a listlessness that worried him. 

 

He had come to her late last night when he heard her scream, she had fitful sleep caused by a nightmare that had caused her to toss and turn and whimper in her sleep. 

 

Braham’s had hesitantly entered her bedroom, not knowing what to do. When he’d had nightmares his parents had merely turned up the record player to drown him out, or tell the past nannies that the howls were the old house creaking sorrowfully from bad winds. 

 

He didn’t know how to comfort her, because his mother stopped comforting him after the fire. Not even a caress upon his head as he whimpered from the pain, he suffered alone; that’s how it always had been since then.

 

But now someone he’d come to care for was in pain and he didn’t know what to do.

 

“Luna…” he whispered, scared she’d awaken to see him hovering. Scared she’d scream even louder in terror when she viewed him above her. 

She only whimpered in response though, “Don’t do it. Please Papa...it’s not worth it...please...I’m not worth it.” 

 

It was in the following moments when Brahms remembered she’d been in a war. It was odd because she was still so relatively young, only in her early twenties at the most. He hadn’t read any newspapers that spoke of a war in Britain, when he had snuck in his father’s office in the past. 

 

“Luna, you are safe.”

 

Was she safe though? With him, he was a monster. He’d long known even before he’d heard his mother’s whispers to his father about how monstrous he’d become. How she only wished to have her little boy back, why couldn’t the doll Brahms be the real Brahms?

 

He tightened his fists at his sides and squinted his eyes shut, his breathing growing hagrid. 

 

“Go without me. Run!”

 

Brahms jumped back into the shadows when Luna jolted up from her bed her breaths coming out labored and tears streamed down from her face. He felt his breath catch in his throat.

 

She was beautiful. The moonlight coming in through her window seemed to crystallize the tears upon her pale cheeks and she seemed to glow in the darkened room. She was memorizing. A shiver ran down his spine, and he grew uncomfortable.

 

“Brahms? Is that you?”

 

Her eyes were still blurry with tears, Brahms knew he could come forth but he couldn’t. Not now when her beauty stirred something deep within him, something monstrous. He slipped further in the shadows until he came upon his trapdoor and left her sitting up in her bed seeming so lost by herself. 

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The sun had risen and Luna ran through Brahms schedule with a melancholy on the edges of her little smiles. 

 

No matter what had happened last night, Brahms could no longer bare this Luna. This Luna who seemed unable to smile even though the day was bright right outside her door. 

 

“What can I do?”

Luna blinked up from the book she had been reading aloud to the little Brahms.

 

“Brahms?”

 

“You are sad. What can I do?”

 

Luna set the book down upon her lap.

 

“Sometimes people are sad. Sadness is not a bad emotion. It’s just one of the many emotions a person can feel, sometimes they have to feel so that they can heal from things.”

 

There was silence for a bit, only the creaks and groans of the old house seemed to fill up the emptiness for awhile. Luna started to pick up the book again, but his voice stopped her again this time it had left the childlike voice it had started with at first.

 

“What would a friend do?”

 

“For a friend that is sad?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Comfort can come in many different ways but the one I find always helps at least a little bit is a hug.”

 

A brief silence.

 

“You can hug me.”

 

Luna tilted her lips attempting a smile but failed. She looked down at little Brahms, brushing some of the hair from his face.

 

“Any other day I could hug this Brahms and maybe it would help but not today.”

 

Shuffling could be heard behind the wall, and Luna looked up surprised as it slid open to reveal a hidden space behind it. Just barely seen in the shadows, was the shadowed figure of a man.

 

“I’ll hug you.”

 

Luna stood and raised her hand out to the figure, offering it so that he could grab a hold of it.

 

“Will you then?”

 

A foot clad in old dress shoes scooted into the light and slowly through the hidden doorway the silhouette took shape into that of a man over six feet with broad shoulders and a masked face. 

 

“Hello Brahms, we meet at last.”

 

A hand reached tentatively out and grasped onto hers pulling her body toward his slightly too roughly but Luna did not falter as the man pulled her tightly against his form.

 

“Hello, my Luna.” 

 


	9. Protection

She clung to him tightly and he held her to him, bending down low in order to nuzzle the top of her head with his masked face.

 

Luna buried her head deeper into his chest, her arms around him and holding onto his back shaking as sobs ran through her. She hadn’t cried for the war or the death of her friends or for the betrayal of her father. So she clung onto Brahams tightly finally letting the years of pain seep through her pores and allow the crying to finally come forth. 

 

As she cried Brahms slowly loosened his tense muscles, as he realized she wasn’t afraid of him. She’d never been afraid of him, he realised. He knew then that the letter his parents wrote him would only sadden her more, for she cared for him. A shiver ran down his spine, and Luna lifted her head sniffling as her tears ran down her face. 

 

“Are you cold?”

 

Brahms tilted his porcelain face down at her.

 

“Come sit with me on the couch, we can share a blanket.”

 

She ran her small hand down Brahms arm until she reached his hand, and pulled him towards the settee in front of the sitting room’s fireplace. 

 

He was about to sit down as she instructed when he heard the telltale sounds that told him that a car was coming up the drive. He moved away from Luna and started for the hole in the wall.

 

“Wait!” 

 

Brahms peered at Luna as she leapt toward him, “Promise me you’ll come back out here, when they leave. Please.”

He nodded, his hand rose hesitantly just stopping a hair’s breadth away from her cheek. Another shiver ran down his whole body as he gazed into her cerulean eyes before stepping once more into the wall closing it behind him.

 

xlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlxbxlx

 

The front door opened and the grocer walked through the doors, his head popping into the sitting room to see the young woman wiping her face of tears.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

“Yes, I’m fine. You must be Malcom. I haven’t actually met you, previously Greta was the one that spoke to you regarding the groceries.”

 

“That’s right. Where did she go off to, leaving you all alone in this big house?”

 

“She ended up having other engagements so I took her place.” 

 

Luna stepped through the doorway past Malcolm and headed for the kitchen. “Here I help put away the groceries.”

 

The sooner the groceries were put away the sooner Luna would be able to get back to Brahms. 

 

“So how has Brahms been treating you?” The grocer grinned jokingly his smile only faltering slightly as Luna looked up at him with a straight face.

 

“He’s been very kind.”

 

“Ok…” Malcom looked curiously at the young woman as she put away the groceries a sort of quiet grace with all her movements. 

 

Soon they had finished up and Malcom was heading to the door when Luna stopped him, “One moment please.” She ran up the stairs to her bedroom where she had printed out fliers from the Heelshire’s study. She rushed back down the stairs before handing the print outs to Malcolm.

 

“This is a warning print out for the local people and the police station. He was an old acquaintance of Greta that turned obsessive and violent. He may come here looking for her. I thought it would be a good idea for the town to keep an eye out for him and the police informed. I will protect Brahms and the house with any legal means necessary but I worry we might still be in danger.”

 

Malcom’s eyes widened, “Greta didn’t mention it but I suppose I understand why. I have a friend at the police station, I'm sure he would be willing to send a police officer your way if the man is sited.” 

 

“Thank you Malcom that would be most appreciated.”

 

Luna waved at Malcolm as he left and let out a sigh. Resting her back against the closed door, her eyes closed. 

 

“Is it true about the man?”

 

Luna nodded her eyes still closed, “What I didn’t say was that Greta was on the run away from him.”

 

“I’ll protect you.”

 

Light lashes fluttered open and her eyes looked up at the tall man before her.

 

“Thank you Brahms. I trust that you will. However I do have a couple of tricks up my sleeves as well. If he bothers to come here, he’ll get the haunted house everyone in town thinks this place to be.” 

 

Brahms eyes widened at the expression of Luna’s face that could only be described as wicked delight. 

 


End file.
